Season 10

Travel along the Tazawako and Akita Nairiku Lines to the heart of Akita Prefecture in northern Japan. Soak in the milky-white waters of a secluded hot spring, and admire lustrous traditional crafts fashioned from bark. Stop to meet the Matagi bear hunters, who preserve an indigenous faith and its rites. Venturing deeper into the mountains, marvel at the night sky and visit UNESCO-designated ancient ruins. The villages connected by these rail lines reveal the seasonal rhythms of Akita’s mountain life.